From professional sports to data science 鈥 our student Seth Peters first came to Finland to pursue a career in American football, but he decided to stay if he could find a Master鈥檚 programme that would fit his interests. Now he鈥檚 about to graduate from the UEF Master鈥檚 degree programme in Information Technology and is revolutionising the pharmacy industry with a start up 鈥 utilising AI and machine learning, to provide customers with smart product recommendations.
US native Seth didn鈥檛 initially move to Finland to study 鈥 but to pursue a professional career in American football. He was hired by a Kuopio-based team for one season and was expected to go back to the States to do his Master鈥檚 studies after that. But a contract extension kept him in the Kuopio area for two more years 鈥 long enough for him to get properly settled in Finland and start thinking about study options.
When the team finally achieved their first ever Finnish championship, Seth figured it was time to 鈥榝inish at the top鈥 and find something else to do.
鈥揑 thought that if I find something interesting, I鈥檇 like to stay in Finland. I completed a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Math in the States and I鈥檝e always been interested in how to solve real problems with math, so it was a natural path for me to go towards data.
First Seth found the SmartICT programme, which is partly organised by the UEF and aimed at people who are working and want to gain more technical knowledge. For Seth it was an excellent preparatory programme while waiting for the application period for the Master鈥檚 degree in Information Technology (IMPIT) to start.
鈥揑 was actually studying with IMPIT students already during SmartICT studies, so when I got accepted to the Master鈥檚 programme, it was easy to continue from where I left off. I鈥檇 also found a job through my friend鈥檚 LinkedIn-post at the digital pharmacy company where I work, so I鈥檝e been able to put what I learnt into practice straightaway.
Dear data
So far, Seth鈥檚 been impressed with the quality and style of teaching in Finland.
鈥揑t鈥檚 been nice, even though they put a lot of responsibility on the student. But that actually helps you to prepare for the 鈥榬eal world鈥 so to speak. The nature of IT fields is that you don鈥檛 really learn that much from books or by listening to a lecture, what you have to do is to go and practice, to go to your computer and try to do what you鈥檙e learning. Although here at UEF there鈥檚 a lot of experience as the lecturers have worked with the biggest IT companies in Finland, so they really know what they鈥檙e talking about in the lectures as well.
The IMPIT programme has a few routes that you can choose from. For Seth, the choice of track was easy to make.
鈥揑鈥檓 really interested in data science, so I鈥檝e taken basically all of the data science courses so far. It鈥檚 closely connected to what I do in my job at Treet, which is a company that develops an app for people to get pharmaceutical products delivered to their homes and receive medical guidance. I鈥檝e also been able to combine work with my thesis topic at Treet, working with AI and machine learning applications and building a model that can recommend products based on your needs and purchasing behaviour.
Another great thing about data is that it鈥檚 everywhere.
鈥揈very company has data, it doesn鈥檛 matter whether you鈥檙e a bank or a pharmacy.
When studying at UEF, you can take courses outside your own department.
鈥揑f you are interested in finance, you could supplement your studies with some business courses. If you are interested in the medical field, you could take some biology or chemistry to develop a more specialized expertise.
Sought-after professional
Seth comes from Arkansas, nicknamed 鈥渢he Natural State鈥 鈥 so maybe coming to Finland wasn鈥檛 too much of a culture shock.
鈥揟here鈥檚 so much nature and wildlife in Arkansas, and here you have different lakes and different wildlife, but otherwise the appearance is pretty similar.
And Seth can speak from experience, as he has already lived in Finland for more than three and a half years. If everything goes well, he could be staying here for some time longer.
鈥揑 really like the company that I鈥檓 with now. Especially with this corona situation going on, I鈥檓 really interested in seeing how the digitalised pharmacy will develop and grow. In the future, I want my title to be AI scientist or Data Scientist 鈥 someone who is building smart systems, using data to provide customers with a personalized experience.
Data scientists are currently in high demand, so surely there are many career opportunities waiting.
鈥揑鈥檓 pretty confident there would be multiple job opportunities available if I wasn鈥檛 employed already. Here in Kuopio we study in the Technopolis building, which is connected to a lot of companies鈥 offices, and in Joensuu the studies take place in the Science Park which is a similar environment. So basically, your future employers might be eating at the same cafeteria with you. I really like how the university and companies are so tightly intertwined.
Seth has a few tips to share for any future applicants and students.
鈥揝how how unique you are in the application. It鈥檚 a good opportunity to say something other than, 鈥淚 got good grades.鈥 I would also recommend learning the basics of the Finnish language. You鈥檒l make friends much faster, and it鈥檚 a great way to show your respect for Finnish culture. I learned a lot when I was volunteering in an English-language kindergarten in Kuopio, where I spoke English to the kids and they replied to me in Finnish.
Now Seth has moved to Helsinki to work, plan his thesis and study 鈥 which will all be online, due to the Covid-19 precautions.
鈥揇uring my football years in Kuopio, life was pretty hectic with practice and coursework. It鈥檚 a good feeling to step back and have more time to do what I really enjoy 鈥 and explore more about myself. But there鈥檚 all kinds of events and things to do in Kuopio or Joensuu, if you鈥檙e willing to put yourself out there. I would highly recommend showing up at the student events and getting to know people.
